Chapter 249: Antagonist Is Unexpectedly Myself?

In the midst of a heavy snowfall in the mortal realm, the snowflakes fluttered down continuously.

Walking on the road, one could sink half a foot deep into the snow, making each step a laborious task. As a result, the number of people on the road was sparse, and it seemed devoid of any human presence.

A group of outer disciples from the Cloud Horizon Sect had taken on a task to use their techniques to clear the snow, creating a path for passersby.

A man and a woman stood together in the snow, each holding an umbrella. They watched the young disciple as he worked, a faint smile playing on their lips.

The disciple, feeling a bit puzzled, glanced at the two of them but didn’t recognize them. Ignoring them, he continued to clear the snow.

In fact, he didn’t recognize Chu Ge because at this moment, Chu Ge was not dressed in the attire of an inner disciple of the Cloud Horizon Sect. He wore a very ordinary outfit resembling that of a martial artist. Similarly, Qiu Wuji didn’t look much like herself either.

She too was dressed in the attire of a common martial artist, exuding a heroic aura, but she had lost the solemnity and dignity that came with being the Sect Master. With a bit of makeup, she adjusted the contours of her eyebrows and eyes, making them look more ordinary.

Qiu Wuji was not adept at disguises, and anyone familiar with her could still recognize her. However, for those who had only seen the sect leader from a distance or through images and were not familiar with her, the difference in temperament was striking. It would be difficult for them to realize that this was the formidable leader of the Cloud Horizon Sect.

As master and disciple ventured out of the sect and began traveling on foot, they stopped flying on their swords after a short while and started walking, observing the world around them.

“Going out on such a snowy day…I haven’t done this in nearly thirty years. Well, I should say I’ve never seen snow this heavy before.” Chu Ge watched the disciple’s back shoveling the snow and smiled, “It’s good that the Cloud Horizon Sect has disciples responsible for maintaining the basic roads in the surrounding mortal towns.”

Qiu Wuji said lightly, “They earn spiritual stones and cover their basic expenses through sect missions. Of course, your Chu Tiange has never done such a low-end job. He’s focused on leveling up and defeating monsters…”

“You’re dissatisfied with what I wrote?”

“There were many dissatisfactions from the beginning. You left out many of the worldly sceneries. Otherwise, why would I always feel that you need to travel the world?” Qiu Wuji hmphed. “At least, my Cloud Horizon Sect’s reputation for righteousness has spread far and wide. It certainly wasn’t built on those few sentences you wrote!”

“Fine, fine,” Chu Ge chuckled. “There’s a tavern up ahead. Shall we go inside?”

“Sure.” Qiu Wuji looked at the tavern’s flags in the distance, her eyes filled with delight. This was the beginning of their journey through the martial world!

Inside the town’s tavern, people were enjoying warm wine, chatting and laughing. The contrast between the lively atmosphere inside and the cold desolation outside was stark.

“Hey, have you heard? The Seven Wonders Young Master recently succeeded in breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.”

“I heard about it. He’s only in his hundred-something years, right? The youngest Nascent Soul cultivator?”

“I heard that Cloud Horizon Sect’s Chu Tiange was even faster… During the battle between the righteous and the demonic, he escaped from the hands of a Nascent Soul old demon from the demonic path. It’s said that he was at least at the Nascent Soul stage himself. He’s only been cultivating for a little over a decade. If that’s true, it’s truly extraordinary…”

“But Chu Tiange has disappeared. He might be dead for all we know. It’s just rumors, not to be trusted.”

“Who says that? My neighbor’s cousin’s friend joined the Cloud Horizon Sect as an outer disciple, and he heard that Chu Tiange’s life token hasn’t shattered. The elders all say that he isn’t dead. Besides, the Cloud Horizon Sect is known throughout the world. Anyone who dares to harm Chu Tiange will be hunted down no matter how far they run. Isn’t that clear enough? He’s not dead!”

“So, you’re saying that this world still belongs to the Cloud Horizon Sect. Although Sect Master Qiu isn’t called an empress, she’s essentially an uncrowned empress.”

“Squeak…” The wooden door creaked open as a man and a woman entered, shaking off the snowflakes from their umbrellas. They smiled as they looked at the tavern’s guests who had been referring to Qiu Wuji as the “uncrowned empress.”

The man said: “Innkeeper, bring us a bottle of two-copper wine and two pounds of well-cooked beef.”

The woman added, “And a plate of peanuts.”

She then whispered, “Our peanuts should not be ninety-nine to a plate, and there should be no one dancing around them.”

The man chuckled, and the two of them walked to a corner table, sitting down and resting their chins on their hands as they watched the other patrons engage in light-hearted banter.

“By the way, I’ve never written about this Seven Wonders Young Master, but he sounds… wonderful.”

“With billions of people in the world, how many names can you possibly include in your writing?”

“Well, I might have more than a hundred…”

“Background characters don’t count. You might as well write ‘elderly man in blue robe’ or ‘man in embroidered gown’…”

“Hey, when it comes to writing, am I the master, or are you?”

“Hmph…”

“Tsk, the uncrowned empress is really something.”

“Do you have any objections?”

“None, none…”

As the food and wine were served, the ‘master and disciple’ temporarily stopped their whispered conversation. Chu Ge poured the wine from the jug, which was steaming hot. As it flowed from the mouth of the jug, the hot vapor rose, filling the air with the fragrance of the wine.

The aroma of an ancient tavern permeated the air with the rising steam. It was a kind of beauty that could never be fully captured in words.

Meanwhile, the other patrons continued their discussion, “It’s a shame; Cloud Horizon Sect is so strict in its selection process. I’ve been trying to enter the sect for the past two years, but I can’t even get past the front gate…”

“Come on, the number one sect in the world is not so easy to join. The competition to enter is fierce.”

“But I didn’t even want to become a disciple; I just wanted to do some menial tasks like serving tea and water. Can’t I do that?”

“They do have low-ranking disciples for menial tasks, so why do they need to recruit externally? What are you plotting?”

“I’m not plotting anything. I just want to catch a glimpse of the beauty of Sect Master Qiu. I’d die content if I could.” The wine-drinker lamented, “My heart and soul are captivated, all for her…”

“This guy…” The other drinkers laughed. “Do you even know what the Sect Master looks like? You’re talking about being captivated heart and soul.”

“People say she’s the most beautiful woman in the world!” The wine-drinker said with heartfelt sorrow, “Even if she’s not, just being close to a world-shaking empress, can you imagine the feeling? If I could become a servant and get close quietly, what if I accidentally see the Sect Master coming out of her bath… Ah, who the hell threw that at me?”

A peanut silently landed in his mouth, nearly breaking one of his teeth.

Qiu Wuji smiled as she looked at Chu Ge in front of her. He had a stern face and didn’t look pleased.

Of course, he was the one who threw the peanut.

“And you talk about people being possessive, but your jealousy has been brewing for over twenty years,” Qiu Wuji said, smiling with narrowed eyes. “Mortals talk even in their sleep. Don’t mind them.”

“He’s practically writing a whole book with his fantasies!” Chu Ge grumbled. “I haven’t dared to go that far!”

“You might not write, but have you peeped on the Sect Master coming out of her bath a few times?”

“Well… They’re not allowed anyway!”

“All lechers have the same mindset,” Qiu Wuji’s eyes twinkled, and her voice took on a hint of allure. “You just love the idea of a superior Sect Master, right? When the Sect Master isn’t interesting anymore, even the Empress comes into play.”

“It’s the Empress, it’s definitely the Empress.”

Qiu Wuji suppressed her laughter and put on a serious face. “Your concealed weapon technique earlier was decent. If you catch anyone else fooling around like this, throw another peanut, but this time, aim to knock their teeth out.”

Chu Ge chuckled. “Understood!”

Meanwhile, other drinkers were saying, “Consider yourself lucky your tooth didn’t break! Sect Master Qiu is a revered figure in our region, and you think you can entertain such impure thoughts so casually? The hot-tempered ones aren’t here today; otherwise, a beating would be the least of your worries.”

The wine-drinker covered his mouth and stayed silent.

This was the Cloud Mountain Range, and the towns around Cloud Horizon Sect. Just by observing how the sect disciples helped clear snow for the townsfolk, you could tell how highly regarded the sect was here. In this place, Qiu Wuji was not just like a revered figure; she was practically the emperor.

Daring to banter like this here took some serious nerve.

However, the banter didn’t stop there.

From a corner, someone said with a sinister tone, “If you want to join Cloud Horizon Sect as a menial worker, you don’t necessarily have to choose the mountain gate.”

Someone asked curiously, “What other options are there?”

“Cloud Horizon Sect owns mining veins, and they’ve always been recruiting workers for mining. In this freezing cold, the labor is grueling, and it’s no better than the ‘unscrupulous wealthy’ they talk about. There might even be skeletons in the mines, but I don’t see you mentioning that. Revered figure of a thousand families? Heh, not quite.”

Qiu Wuji’s cheerful and smiling expression instantly turned grim.

Chu Ge scratched his head.

It was certain that the sect was involved in mining veins; he had mentioned it in his writing. However, he hadn’t delved into the specifics, merely mentioned it in passing. Clearly, Qiu Wuji didn’t pay much attention to such details either. Whether what the person said was true or not, neither of them could confirm.

This unfolding situation… Could it be the first stop on the path of a wandering hero standing up for justice, and the antagonist is unexpectedly myself?